New to Canada? Langara’s Homestay Program makes Vancouver feel like home

Langara’s Homestay Program offers international students a safe, supportive, and immersive living experience with local families in Vancouver.

When international students arrive in Vancouver for their studies, many are experiencing life abroad for the first time. From navigating an unfamiliar transit system to adjusting to new customs and improving their English, the transition can be daunting. That’s where Langara’s Homestay Program comes in.

Valerie Peters, Associate Director, International Programs, and Rodrigo Naumczyk, Homestay Coordinator, share how our program is more than just a housing solution; it’s an immersive experience that helps students build language skills, adjust to life in Canada, and find a sense of belonging.

A safe and supportive start.

Langara’s Homestay Program has welcomed tens of thousands of students over the past 30 years, placing them in carefully vetted homes across Metro Vancouver. The program offers a clear advantage over independent housing, particularly given Vancouver’s competitive rental market. At a fixed monthly rate, students receive a private furnished bedroom, three meals a day, and a built-in support network.

Homestay also offers students a structured, secure environment that’s ready to move into: “They’re going to be living with a Canadian family who’s been vetted by our program and that is interested in hosting an international student,” explains Peters. “If they were arriving on their own, they’d have no idea how to find accommodation, how to do it safely or even where to start looking.”

Rodrigo Naumczyk, Langara’s Homestay Coordinator, supports both students and host families throughout the placement. He emphasizes how much reassurance it brings for students to know someone is looking out for them: “It’s a nice experience when you get here and you have somebody that will be like an ambassador of Vancouver and Canada,” he says. “You’re not just by yourself trying to figure out everything.”

Language, culture, and confidence.

The benefits of homestay go beyond convenience. For students hoping to improve their English or gain cultural insight, everyday interactions at the dinner table or during errands can be as valuable as their classroom experience.

For Peters, the value of homestay also lies in the small, everyday moments that create lasting memories and friendships:

“Many students are seeking to improve their English, so it’s an opportunity and a way for them to improve their language skills,” Peters says. “They’re eating dinner together with the host family, which is that opportunity to interact, share information, get to know other people.”

These daily interactions also help students develop confidence in navigating unfamiliar environments, something Naumczyk sees regularly: “The connection is one of the greatest things about homestay,” he says. “You’ll have somebody here that will be representing Vancouver and Canada to students, and I think that will make things easier.”

A positive experience for families.

Host families also find the experience enriching. Many remain in touch with their students for years, attending weddings, visiting overseas, and watching their former guests become successful professionals.

“Those ongoing relationships are really quite common,” says Peters. “That's a world opening experience and families tell us it's their opportunity to travel without traveling, to share what they love about Vancouver and to rediscover the city through the eyes of somebody new.”

Langara’s team takes great care in matching students with the right host families, considering preferences, personalities, special requests, and even things like musical instruments or food preferences.

“For those students, their host families are their Canadian family,” says Peters. “It has such deep meaning for them that connects them with Canada.”

A foundation for independence.

For many students, homestay is just the beginning of their Canadian journey. Some stay with their host families for the duration of their studies; others move on to more independent living once they’ve gained confidence.

“It’s not uncommon for students to start in homestay and then, feeling more independent, want to spread their wings,” Peters says. “So, it’s a natural progression for students to start in a more protected homestay and then move on to something more independent.”

But for those first few months, especially in an unfamiliar country, homestay can make all the difference.

Find your home away from home.

Learn more about Langara’s Homestay Program, whether you’re an international student looking for a place to land or a local family interested in becoming a host.